


Dancing In The Dark

by tangiblewhimsy



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-24
Updated: 2012-07-24
Packaged: 2017-11-10 16:12:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tangiblewhimsy/pseuds/tangiblewhimsy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sho and Nino at the end of a wedding reception. Futurefic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dancing In The Dark

**Author's Note:**

> For the [shoneenclub](http://shoneenclub.livejournal.com) June 2009 fanfiction contest.

It had been an ongoing joke for many years that Jun was already happily married—to work. Scripts, shoots, interviews, concerts, filming, more shoots, more scripts. The cycle was never ending, his schedule constantly expanding and being rearranged. He always made time around New Years for the things that were important to him, however. It was by pure chance that one year none of the others could take him up on his offer to abscond to The Middle Of Nowhere, Nevada to celebrate the coming year in the desert.

Retrospectively it had been a bit of a blessing. Had Jun been busy with the other members of Arashi and the rush of a homey but hectic New Years celebration he probably would not have gone for quite so many walks through the barren landscape to enjoy the colors of the American Southwestern deserts. Had he not gone on as many walks he probably would have missed the one walk he had met Ami on as she photographed the sprawling land and purpled mountains at sunrise. Had he not met Ami, Jun would probably still be married to work.

The way things worked out, however, Jun did go to Nevada alone, he did go on a number of walks, he did meet Ami, and now, as Sho watched from his seat at one of the white linen-covered tables, Jun was taking his first dance as a genuinely married man.

Jun smiled freely and brightly, all teeth and some gums. His laugh floated across the dance floor brilliantly, complemented by the almost melodic chime of his lovely new bride's laughter. Sho's eyes followed their progress across the dance floor, how the pair gazed at one another in an almost euphoric bliss, and felt a certain joyful pride swell in his chest. Sho was so incredibly happy for Jun, seeing a man who he'd watched grow up through a variety of difficult and awkward stages into a vibrant, beautiful being who practically glowed in the ambient lighting of the dimmed hotel outdoor reception hall.

“How many of those have you had, exactly?” Sho's eyes widened and his brow rose in surprise at the voice so close at his shoulder. Turning first to the shoulder he'd heard the voice over and then switching to look over the opposite shoulder Sho saw Nino pulling his jacket off to hang on the chair behind Sho before sitting down.

Looking at the half finished glass of chardonnay at his elbow Sho smiled and turned his seat so that he could better converse with his old friend. “This is only my second glass, why?”

“Because your eyes were completely glazed over. I thought you might be as sauced as Aiba was trying resolutely to get before some cute girl got the better of his attention,” Nino explained absently, folding over his gracefully crossed legs.

“Oh,” Sho smiled, glancing over at Aiba and aforementioned cute girl. “Does he realize who he's talking to?”

“Probably not, he's had more than a few drinks already. But it's going to be pretty funny when he figures it out.” Nino grinned broadly as Tamaki Nami laughed brightly at some undoubtedly flawed fact of the natural world Aiba had attempted to bestow in his inebriated state.

The pair watched in companionable silence for a minute more before Aiba's eyes widened so much that from across the room Nino and Sho could see his whites. Aiba then bit his lower lip and laughed quietly before saying something more and excusing himself.

Sho frowned in mock disappointment. “That was rather anticlimactic. He didn't even trip over anything in his getaway.”

“Maybe he's getting better at handling his liquor in his old age,” Nino returned stretching a bit and extending his arms over his head.

Sho cringed a little more genuinely at the use of the term 'old age'. A few years past 30 hardly constituted old. Glancing back at Jun as the bride and groom made their exit from the dance floor, however, Sho could not really deny that a great many years had passed.

“Who'd you think'll be next?” Nino asked quietly from behind Sho's shoulder. The rapper turned to study Nino's face carefully before answering. Something in the practiced casual tone alerted Sho to an underlying question that Nino was avoiding asking.

Nino's gaze fixed on Sho's face steadily, just as impassive and even as the tone of voice he'd used and the words he'd chosen. Unable to puzzle out Nino's real question Sho finally settled for an honest answer to the falsehood. “I don't really know.”

It was the wrong answer.

Nino nodded quietly, his face betraying nothing. There was a measured silence before he broke eye contact with Sho and said “I should go stop Aiba from peeing in Oh-chan's bag.” Before Sho could respond, Nino had ducked out of his chair and was making his way around the dance floor, across the scrubbed flagstone and out of sight.

Sho frowned at Nino's retreating form, concern creeping into his mind. As he watched, however, Nino did exactly what he had excused himself to do, taking Aiba by the elbow (or at least it had started at the elbow before Aiba had thrown his arms around Nino in a combination of lost balance and drunken hug) and led him into the building at the back of the patio where facilities were housed. Looking at his watch Sho noted that the reception would be ending soon as he was certain that Jun and Ami had a flight to catch in the morning.

Standing he approached the table at which sat the bride and groom, offering his best wishes and giving Jun a solid hug. The rest of the evening was spent mingling about the close collection of friends and family that had been in attendance.

The guests gathered to send the new couple off, the waitstaff began to sweep in to clear up tables, put away food, put away chairs. The band finished and was nearly done packing to leave. A few guests remained, most waiting at the coat-check or out front for the valet to retrieve their vehicles.

As Sho was saying his goodbyes to a few late-leaving guests he looked over and saw that Nino's jacket was still strung across the back of the chair at Sho's abandoned table. Bowing to the elderly couple he'd been seeing off the rapper made his way across the practically empty room, skirting around a few young men carrying armfuls of chairs or trays of empty classes. Finally making his way to the table he picked up Nino's jacket and turned to make a scan of the room.

He hadn't seen Nino for at least an hour, maybe two. At that time he'd been sitting at a table laughing with Satoshi so Sho hadn't thought to worry. However, Sho knew that this suit was brand new, one of the few ways Nino had subtly shown his respect and care for the event of Jun's marriage. There's no way Nino would have left any piece of it to be lost, damaged or stolen.

Following the stone-paved path to the bathrooms Sho opened the door and called out curiously, “Nino? Are you in here?” Stepping into the bathroom Sho made a visual check of the few stalls to verify that they were empty.

Leaving he let the door swing shut behind him heavily as he stood outside of the bathrooms and looked about him for any idea of where to search next. He crossed the courtyard where things were nearly completely packed away and entered the hotel proper. Making a thorough scan of the places between the reception area and the front doors Sho turned and doubled back. He was beginning to get worried.

Pulling out his cell phone he hoped that Nino hadn't left his mobile in the jacket he was carrying and dialed Nino's number. As Sho came to the doorway that led back out into the reception hall he heard the digitized jingle of his friend's ringtone and looked up to see Nino leaning against the stone railing that separated the reception area from a set of well-groomed gardens.

Sho watched as Nino dug into the pocket of his suit pants and pulled out his phone. “Hello?” Nino's voice sounded tired and a little thick.

“You forgot your jacket,” Sho called across the dance floor, holding up the garment in question.

Nino made an unflattering noise that sounded like a garbled mixture of a giggle and a snort. He flipped shut his phone and waited for Sho to cross most of the distance between them before calling out, “What kind of idiot calls someone standing right in front of them?”

“My gravest apologies for interrupting your clearly important business,” Sho smiled as he handed over Nino's jacket. The smaller man folded the garment carefully over his forearm and hugged his arms around his stomach. It was then that Sho noticed the frown of concentration on Nino's lips. “You doing alright?”

“Oh-chan wouldn't go home unless I had one last round with him,” Nino said by way of explanation.

“What did 'one last round' consist of?”

Nino's brow knit as he tried to remember. “Three—no four of these little drinks called 'snake bites'.” Sho cringed on Nino's behalf. “They were kind of sweet. They had lime. Sho-chan would have liked them.”

“Did he at least get into a cab alright?” Sho put a hand on Nino's shoulder and rubbed at his back soothingly.

Nino nodded and then grimaced as the alcohol in his system clearly protested the action. “Yeah. Aiba went home earlier but managed to say g'bye to Jun first. I think he gave him some kind of African fertility idol—,” Nino paused here and Sho leaned in closer and put an arm around Nino's shoulders to steady him. After a long exhale that smelled strongly of the Canadian black whiskey that was a integral component of the mixed drinks he'd consumed Nino went on, “To her credit Ami-chan said it was thoughtful and she looked really amused. Suppose that's a point in their favor.”

Sho gave Nino a questioning look at the last statement but when Nino did not elaborate Sho let it drop. “C'mon. I should probably get you home.” Sho slid his arm down from Nino's shoulders to fit around his waist. Nino groaned in protest at being made to stand properly and leaned into Sho's chest, breathing heavily.

Sho went slowly but when they were halfway across the dance floor Nino stopped. Sho paused with him, watching his face carefully for signs that the smaller man might be about to be sick. Instead he saw Nino's head hanging down rather low, his gaze seeming far-off. Sho moved so that he was still supporting Nino but was facing him, both arms carefully around Nino.

“I hate weddings,” Nino said quietly. “People getting married and stuff is fine,” he went on a little more clearly. “If that's what they really want to do and all. But weddings make other people have to sit and stare and, and...” Nino's voice faltered before he drifted off into quiet.

“The purpose of ceremonies and parties isn't to make a point to show others they're not important anymore,” Sho said, his grip tightening. He was starting to understand a bit of what had transpired between them earlier. “It's to show them just how important they still are. It's so they can share one of the most life-changing experiences with people that they care about.”

Nino said nothing for a bit, his head lulling on Sho's chest. For a minute Sho actually thought Nino had fallen asleep standing up but when Nino sighed he pulled away a bit. “I guess,” Nino conceded but did not sound in any way convinced.

Sho sighed. Nothing he was saying was right tonight. “Well, I've pretty much come to terms with the fact that I'm going to be an old maid,” he tired to make light of the situation. “I don't even have the title of 'Crazy Cat Man' to look forward to.”

Nino chuckled gratifyingly into Sho's shoulder. “That's pathetic,” he said but sounded happier.

“I know, isn't it? I'll be old and sitting in my boxers on my couch with a beer and a TV dinner watching baseball. It'll all be very tragic,” Sho smiled into the top of Nino's head.

“Mn, we could get you a dog or something,” Nino offered, still laughing a little, burrowing his face tiredly into Sho's jacket.

“You'd subject an animal to my living habits? That's just cruel,” Sho shifted a little so that Nino could fit more easily against his side.

“I like dogs,” was all Nino returned with quietly.

Sho began moving them towards the exit slowly. “A dog it is then.”

They spent the rest of the trip discussing the details of Sho's sad, sad future as a bachelor living in an apartment with a dog that he would take out for walks and would train to bring him beer from the fridge.


End file.
